"On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair, warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air". What are the colitas mentioned in Hotel California?

John Stevens, Sydney, Australia

• According to information gleaned from several websites, 'Colitas' is the diminutive feminine plural of the Spanish word 'cola' which means 'tail' (as in 'Colitas de Langosta Enchiladas' - baby lobster tails). According to one report, the Eagles had the word translated as 'little buds' by one of their Spanish-American managers at the time of writing the song. However, 'cola' is also the word given to the tip of the marijuana branch which contains more sap (and hence is more potent). The latter explanation may have greater appeal to any true fan of the band!

  Dave Baxter, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

• It's actually the 'warm smell of colitis', an unpleasant bowel disease caused by eating too many refried beans. John Lennon referred to a similar ailment in Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds: "The girl with colitis goes by".

  Stephen Pepper, Kingston

• Like to see a detailed explanation of colitas and the entire song? See my posts at --- http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1180822#post1180822 The Unveiler

  The Unveiler,

• As previously said it is the smell of weed. But I have also heard that it is the smell of petrol????

  Jason, Burnley UK

• Not sure what Elizabeth in LA is "smoking" there's no eucalyptus in the song - and sorry, Stephen of Kingston, but in Lucy in the Sky, it's a "girl with kalidescope eyes"... Colitas is indeed a plural diminuitive version of a kind of Spanish "slang" for marijuana bud. C'mon kids, it's the Eagles here! They're singing about life in California in the drug influenced 70's!

  Kari, Niagara Falls, USA

• Colitas is the piney smelling Marajuana buds from northern California. (Deep breath through the nose, I can almost smell them now. :)

  Roblime, Long Beach, California, USA

• A Mexican flower!!

  Quin, Detroit, USA